USA > New York > New York City > A history of the parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, pt 4 > Part 38
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The additions comprehended a three-story building, 31 x 50, attached to the rear of the church and intended for Sunday and parochial schools ; a chapel to be used for committee rooms during convention, and a chancel, apsidal in form, covered with a semi-dome, and lighted through the cupola. We quote from the architect's description :
"The chancel is 24 feet deep and elevated from the nave by four steps of American Tennessee marble, which is equal to any foreign production, and is the first of its kind ever used in this city. The chancel is also paved with this and other marbles, inlaid. The altar which stands in the centre of the sacrarium is of marble ornamented with inlayings of Sienna and Rose vif, and surrounded with columns of Tennessee marble shafts, statuary capitals, and black marble plinths and bases. On the front are medallions gilded, with appropriate emblems. The central one has the I. H. S., the S being the ancient form of that letter found in old manuscripts.
"Around the chancel is a screen composed of columns and arches decorated in polychrome. The caps and carved work are gilded on red and blue fields. This decorating in polychrome is of great assist- ance to architecture. It increases the effect very considerably with very little expense, and individualizes details which might perhaps pass otherwise unnoticed. Attached to the screen are the stalls for the clergy and Bishop. The latter is distinguished from the rest by being central and by a pedimented canopy surmounted by an em- blematic mitre. The chancel rail is of iron with gilded ornaments. There are prayer-desks on either side of the choir. The pulpit is attached to the Gospel side of the chancel-arch and will be approached by a handrailing of iron, which is being made. The chancel is sup- ported by an entablature, which runs around the Church. The arch has a broad, deep and enriched soffit. The cupola is of good size
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and is glazed with stained glass, to mellow the effect of the light throughout the chancel. The semi-dome has been left perfectly plain as the proper field for a painting. Mr. Oertel has been consulted with reference to a picture, and has one which is thought appropriate, and which if it is secured will be a great acquisition to the artistic decora- tions of the Church, not only from its intrinsic merits as a painting, but also on account of the position and light.
" The pews have been lowered a little, and those which encum- bered the space in front of the chancel have been removed, to afford more room around the chancel than formerly. The colouring of the walls is of French gray with ornaments. Throughout the additions care has been taken to carry out in all details the Corinthian order in which the Church is built.
" R. M. UPJOHN & Co., "Architects, Trinity Building. "February 28, 1857." 1
The church, thus enlarged and beautified, was opened for divine service on Quinquagesima Sunday, February 15, 1857. The officiants were the Provisional Bishop of the Diocese, the Rector of Trinity Church, the Rev. Messrs. Young, Ogilby, and C. B. Wyatt. The Rev. Dr. Higbee preached from St. Luke, iv., 18, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor." He spoke particularly of the missionary character of the Church, alluded to the greatly increased accommodations in the new school rooms, capable of receiving a thousand children, and made affectionate reference to the late Bishops Hobart and Wainwright and to Dr. M. P. Parks. It was indeed a day of rejoicing throughout the parish, then so angrily assailed by the adversary's hand.
During the early part of the year 1858 the monument in memory of the Revolutionary soldiers and sailors buried in Trinity churchyard was completed and put in
1 Church Journal, March 4, 1857.
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position. It is a striking and effective tribute to those who perished in the prison ships and in the old Sugar House on Liberty St. It stands near Broadway, directly opposite to Pine St., on the line on which the proposed extension of Albany St. was to have been carried out.
The promoters of the scheme for opening that street gave one last gasp before the death of their nefarious plan. On the night of Dec. 31, 1857, the city govern- ment passed an ordinance repealing the ordinance of 1855, and allowing a street to be cut through Trinity churchyard. In the course of the hearings in opposition to it the Rev. Dr. Vinton made a notable and effective plea in opposition to the measure. As the last word, it invites notice. He thus concludes his argument.
"It so happens, I think you will discover, that the City never was vested with the fee of this part of the grave-yard of Trinity Church. For in the 'Dongan charter,' under the royal seal of George II., by which this City was incorporated, all waste and unoccupied lands were ceded to the City; saving and excepting ground devoted "to pious and charitable uses." This north part of Trinity Churchyard was, as I have already stated, the old public cemetery at the date of the Dongan charter, devoted to that 'pious and charitable use.' The City pos- sessed it as a burial place and was charged with the duty of burying the dead.
" By the Deed of 27th April, 1703, the City transferred her title, with her obligations of burying the dead, to Trinity Church, which accepted and performed the conditions, until 1823. In that year, the City by an ordinance prohibited further burials within the city limits. The City herself revoked the conditions of the deed of 1703; and thus, what was before conditional, is become unconditional. So that, as against the City, the title of Trinity Church to the land, is fee simple. The idea of a condition to a deed, being revoked by the grantor, is, to my plain mind, preposterous and absurd. Such law would work finely for sellers of property which is on the rise. Such law would bring back to their former owners many of those princely lots on Broadway, which have enhanced in price a hundred fold or less. But I leave this question for the lawyers. VOL. IV .- 29.
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" Gentlemen of the Committee : You have an office to fulfil, full of dignity. Your report to the Common Council, I doubt not will be intelligent and honest. You are called on to advise the repeal of a hasty act of your immediate predecessors, which permitted Albany Street to be extended through the Churchyard; and to restore the deliberate well-advised ordinance of 1855, which directed a "stay of all proceedings " in the matter.
" Put an end, Gentlemen, to this grasping avarice of private spec- ulation, which is battling with humanity and religion and the public good.
"This controversy is become vexatious. Settle it forever on the principle of Reverence. The blessing of God and the gratitude of the people and the approval of your conscience shall be your reward.
That was the end of the matter, and the scheme has not been revived.
CHAPTER XXII.
- CONCLUSION OF DR. BERRIAN'S RECTORSHIP.
The Atlantic Cable Laid-Service in Trinity Church-Sermon by the Bishop of New Jersey-Death of Dr. Hodges-Report of Special Committee on Finance-Nomination of Rev. Morgan Dix to Assistant Rectorship-Memorial of the Assistant Clergy to the Vestry Urging that Action on the Nomination be Deferred-Election of Mr. Dix- His Acceptance-One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of Trinity School-Fiftieth Anniversary of the Ordination to the Diaconate of Dr. Berrian-Sermon by Dr. Ber- rian- Visit of the Prince of Wales-Trinity Choir Surpliced-Attendance of the Prince of Wales at Service in Trinity Church-Interference of Dr. Vinton in the Pre- arranged Plans for that Service-Remonstrance from the Committee of Arrangements Presented to the Vestry-Completion of Schoolhouse of Trinity Chapel-Death of Dr. Berrian-Funeral Services-Sermon by Mr. Dix-Accession of Morgan Dix as Ninth Rector of Trinity Church.
Nº. O one who was present on the occasion can forget the service held in Trinity Church, September 1, 1858, upon the completion of the great work of laying the At- lantic cable between Ireland and Newfoundland, and thus securing communication with Europe by telegraph. Mr. Cyrus W. Field, the enthusiastic and indefatigable agent in that project, saw the accomplishment of his design on the 18th of August ; and a fortnight later the celebration took place in the Parish Church.
The church, of course, was filled to its utmost ca- pacity, or, rather beyond its capacity, for a dense mass of humanity covered the entire space from wall to wall, seated, or standing, or piled up to the sills of the windows in the aisles north and south. A procession of one hundred clergy or more closed by the Right Rev. George W. Doane, Bishop of New Jersey, passed from the
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northwest door, along the walk towards Broadway, and thence, by the central doorway, in the tower, entered the building, while the organ pealed forth a voluntary, in which were heard the familiar strains of " Hail Columbia" and "God Save the Queen." The official guests formed a part of the procession, including the Mayor of the city, the members of the Common Council and Board of Alder- men, and Captain Hudson of the U. S. frigate Niagara, with the officers of that frigate and her English consort in laying the cable ; these officials marched under the flags of the United States and Great Britain. Across the chancel was a vast temporary frame work, having the ef- fect of a gigantic rood-screen, and entirely covered by flowers.
The service began with an opening anthem, "The Lord is in His Holy Temple," composed by Dr. Hodges, who was himself at the organ, and given with great effect by a full choir.
The officiants at Morning Prayer were the Rev. Dr. Berrian, Rector, assisted by the Rev. Drs. Creighton, Hawks, and Bedell. The lessons specially appointed for this service were Isaiah xliii. and Rev. iv. A solemn Te Deum was sung, which is thus described by a writer of the period :
"This Te Deum was 'a verse service' in the key of D, commonly known as the New York service, and was composed by Dr. Hodges in 1840, shortly after he had been appointed director of music in Trinity Parish. It was a varied composition interspersed with solo and duet passages and written in the English style of Cathedral music, though rather more florid than most of the English services. It opened with a full chorus in plain counterpoint in a majestic and dignified style. This was succeeded by a fugue passage at the words 'The glorious company of the Apostles praise Thee,' in which the subject was ad- mirably carried through all the voices, while the immediately succeed- ing verses were announced without repetition of words, arriving at a grand climax at the verse, 'Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ.'
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Here the magnificent outburst of harmony from the full organ and choir was exceedingly impressive. The rest of the Te Deum was an alternation of solos, duets and choruses, closing with a slow and digni- fied fugue movement of moderate length, but admirably adapted to leave the mind of the listener in a state of elevated devotion."
Before the General Thanksgiving a special thanksgiv- ing was said, which had been approved by the Bishop for the occasion :
"O God Whose never-failing Providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth, we, Thy humble servants, bow before Thee own- ing that from Thee all strength, all power and might do come. We praise Thee for Thy goodness and wonderful works to the children of men and acknowledge Thy gracious hand in all that we accomplish on earth. Especially this day do we recognize Thy goodness and mercy in the wonderful work for which we now bless and magnify Thy glorious Name. Thou, who alone spreadest out the heavens and rulest the raging of the sea, didst in Thy mercy guide Thy servants through the perils of the great deep and enable them to lay in the mighty waters that band which now unites distant nations. Grant, O Lord, that those who are so wonderfully joined together may never be put asunder by enmity or strife, by prejudice or passion. May it be an instrument in bearing only messages of peace, extending the glad tid- ings of salvation, the Gospel of Thy dear Son, and hastening the day when from every corner of the earth shall rise that blessed song : 'Peace on earth, good-will towards men,' and to Thy great Name shall be ascribed all honour and praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
After the singing of Dr. John Clark's anthem from Psalm cxxxiii., " Behold how good and joyful a thing it is, brethren, to dwell together in unity," the Bishop of New Jersey ascended the pulpit and delivered the address, with a brilliancy and an intense earnestness characteristic of himself :
"'Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace ; good-will towards men.'
"This was the message of the Angels to the shepherds on the plains of Bethlehem when the Incarnate Saviour of the world was cradled in
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a manger. This was the message of the Angli by the Atlantic Tele- graph to their western sons. And this shall be the Anglo-American message to the ends of the whole world : 'Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace ; good-will towards men.'
" Was ever utterance so fit ? Was ever fittest utterance so startling, so solemn, so sublime ? A consecrated lightning ! flashing out from the burning love of Christian hearts in Ireland ; flashing along through the caverns of the sea; flashing along among the buried treasures of the deep; flashing along by the lair of old Leviathan; flashing along over the remains of them who perished in the flood; flashing up among the primeval forests of Newfoundland; and flashing out from there throughout the world.
"A consecrated lightning, consecrating the wondrous chain the completion of which we celebrate to-day; consecrating the very ocean which it traverses; consecrating this glorious blessed day; consecrat- ing anew that time-honored red-cross flag, the banner of a thousand fights; consecrating the stars that glitter on that flag of freedom which in less than a century has won for this nation a place among the ancient empires of the world, and which, whenever the rights of men are to be asserted, forever floats and blazes in the van. Conse- crating shall I not say, beloved friends, anew our hearts to the love of man and to the glory of the living God.
" It is recorded of the father that he took his son, almost an infant, to his heathen altar to swear eternal hatred against Rome ! Shall we not come up here to-day-have we not come up here to-day-to renew before this holy altar our vows of love and peace ? Shall we not here renew the vows of our holy baptism ?- that so far as in us lies we will promote that which makes for peace, and quietness, and love, among all men; that so far as in us lies, each in his several place by prayers, by gifts, by services, by sufferings, by death, if God so please, we will do what lies in us, to bear out to all the world lying in darkness, lying in wickedness, lying in sin, the peace and love of the glorious Gospel of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
"It seems to me, if I may speak it without irreverence, that one- ness is the great idea of God. The unity of God is the great truth of Holy Scripture. 'There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.' And that beseeching prayer when our dear Saviour was about to enter the garden of agony: 'that they may be one as We are, I in Thee and Thou in Me, that they may be one in Us.' St. Paul instructs us that 'there is one body and one Spirit, one God and Father of all, one
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Lord, one faith, one baptism.' And then only will the mediatorial glory be accomplished when there shall be one fold under one Shep- herd, Jesus Christ, our Lord. The highest happiness on earth is when men are 'of one mind in an house.' And to be one in heart and life is human love's devoutest, most delightful consummation. Now it seems to me that among the thousand thoughts that crowd upon the mind in the contemplation of the subject of this day's assembling, the ten- dency to oneness is the chief. It seems to me that in a sort the edict of Babel is reversed: that so the kingdoms of the world may become ' the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.' The dispersion of the nations is to be outdone in God's time and in God's way by bring- ing them together as one in Him. And I might almost venture to say that we have in prospect, as it were, the renewal and repetition of the pentecostal wonder, when all the nations of the world heard in their own tongue the wonderful works of God, when man shall speak to man from one end of the world to the other of the Gospel of the Saviour and of the glory of the Lamb.
" Beloved friends, I am here among you, travelling through the night to be here, from the field of my own labors in New Jersey and from the care of my two hundred children,1 that with my brethren and companions I might worship in this holy and beautiful house, and with them and with you all, and with all England, and with all Europe, and with the islands of the sea, rejoice in the consummation of this great work.
"Beautifully and well did this venerable corporation seek for itself a place in the rejoicings of this day. Trustees they are from venerable hands in that dear mother-land, now gathered to the grave; trustees they are for carrying out their views and purposes. And great and glorious as are the good works they have done, none greater and more glorious than in lending the consecration of this house, the consecration of that altar, and the consecration of these prayers, to the Atlantic telegraph.
" I said, my friends, that I came to you from New Jersey, and I have brought something of New Jersey with me. I hold here the oldest of the cables. This " (exhibiting a piece of wire) " is the germ which has grown to what is so great and glorious. So far as I know and believe, this is a part of the telegraph wire set up at the Speedwell Iron Works in Morristown, New Jersey, more than twenty years ago, under the direction of Professor Morse, known to all the world, and Mr. Alfred
' The Bishop referred to the great school at Burlington, St. Mary's Hall.
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Vail, his associate and fellow laborer. It was set up for a length of three miles, and it served to transmit intelligent signals in the tele- graphic language. . We have all read of that beautiful ceremony which was once annually celebrated, the wedding of the Adriatic by the Doge of Venice.
" The Bucentaur with the fleet of gondolas has made a radiant picture on the heart of every child. It was a splendid pageant, but it has vanished from the world. Venice is no longer among the sover- eign nations. The glory of the Adriatic has departed. But now another wedding follows. The day breaks upon the rugged shores of Newfoundland. A little company is landing from a boat. They form a line. They bear in their hands, and touch it as a sacred thing, a small wire, and they proceed with solemn step and slow to the place appointed to deposit it. With that same Cyrus at their head they form a procession in comparison with which the heroes of an- tiquity must look to their laurels. Carefully they proceed, charged not only, as they feel, with the destiny of nations, but with the inter- ests of the Church of the Living God, and repose it in its place of annexation. . . England and America are wedded by that Atlantic ring, a ring of love, a ring of peace, shall I not say the ring of God ? Shall I not add,-and will not every heart respond Amen-' Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder' ?"
Among the many appropriate decorations for the occa- sion were the English and American flags, displayed from the spire. As the wind blew, they "were blown across each other in mutual embrace." It is upon this incident that Bishop Doane wrote the following poem :
" THE WEDDED FLAGS. "A Song of the Atlantic Cable.
" Hang out that glorious old red Cross! Hang out the Stripes and Stars! They faced each other fearlessly In two historic wars ;
" But now, the ocean circlet binds The Bridegroom and the Bride; Old England, Young America- Display them, side by side.
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" High up from Trinity's tall spire, We'll fling the banner out; Hear how the world-wide welkin rings With that exulting shout!
" Forever wave those wedded flags, As proudly now they wave! God, for the lands, His love has blessed, The beauteous and the brave.
" But, see! the dallying wind the Stars About the Cross has blown, And see, again, the Cross around The Stars its folds has thrown.
" Was ever sign so beautiful Hung from the heavens abroad ? Old England, Young America For Freedom and for God." 1
This was the last occasion on which Dr. Hodges directed the music at Trinity Church. The close of his official career was in accord with the whole of his admira- ble work as a church musician. On the 20th of September, the Vestry were informed, by a letter from Dr. Edwin Wilkes, that the health of the venerable organist was so seriously impaired as to disqualify him for the performance of the duties of his office. Leave of absence was granted to him, and Dr. Henry S. Cutler was appointed " temporary organist at Trinity Church."? Dr. Hodges went to Eng- land, where he spent nearly a year. On his return he lived in retirement at " Woodlawn on the Hudson," the residence of Mr. William Moore, his brother-in-law. Finally return- ing to England in 1863, he died in his native city, Bristol, on Sunday, September 1, 1867.
A long-expected report of the special Committee on Finance was presented to the Vestry January 10, 1859.
1 Pp. 127-128, Songs by the Way. The Poetical Writings of the Right Rev. George Washington Doane, D.D., LL.D. Arranged and edited by his son, William Croswell Doane.
2 Records, liber iv., folio 330.
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It showed the necessity of curtailing allowances and gifts. Its conclusions are embodied in these resolutions :
" Resolved, I. That all appropriations of money for other than paro- - chial purposes, with the exception of those for which the faith of the Ves- try is pledged, and those specified in the third resolution, be discontinued :. until the expenditures of the Corporation are reduced to its income.
" 2. That the annuity of $1000 to James Barrow be discontinued after the first of June, 1859.
" 3. That the annual allowance to St. Luke's Church and to the Church of the Holy Evangelists, be reduced from and after the 30th April, 1859 ; the former to $3000, and the latter to $2500. That the annual allowances for the following churches and missionary pur- poses, if continued by the Vestry shall not exceed the sums herein specified, viz :-
The Church of the Advent. $200
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The Church of the Holy Innocents. . 200
Rev. Mr. Hoyt, of the Church of the Good Shepherd .. 200
St. Timothy's. 200
All Angels. 200
Free Chapel of St. Thomas. 800
Protestant Episcopal Seaman's Mission 800
St. Mary's, Manhattanville 200
Intercession, Carmansville. 200 The Nativity. 1000
The Holy Martyrs .. 300
St. John's the Evangelist.
St. Ann's. 400
300
All Saints .. 300
St. Stephen's 300
St. Clement's 300
St. Philip's .. 62
St. Paul's, Williamsburg. 200
"4. That the real estate of the Corporation under lease be sold, as advantageous opportunities occur, and the proceeds as far as practica- ble, applied to the payment of its debt, or set apart for that purpose until such debt is wholly extinguished.
"5. That productive property yielding an income adequate to the support of Trinity Parish be sacredly preserved, and as soon as the debt of the Corporation shall have been fully paid or provided for, and there shall be a surplus of revenue beyond the requirements of the Parish, such surplus be dedicated to the aid of other Parishes, the religious instruction of the poor in the City of New York, the extension of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and other pious and charitable objects.
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"6. That the property of the Corporation, whenever its debt shall have been extinguished, should be preserved, in as large proportion as possible, in the shape of real estate under lease, rather than in bonds and mortgages and money securities.
"7. That an Auditing Committee be appointed, to consist of three members, whose duty it shall be to examine and audit all bills and accounts for work done, articles purchased or procured, and ser- vices rendered for the Corporation, and to report the same for ap- proval to the Vestry, and that no such bill or account be paid without the order of the Vestry.
"8. That whenever an appropriation of money is made for any purpose, the expenditure for such purpose shall not be permitted by the Committee or person having the matter in charge, to exceed the amount so appropriated, until a further appropriation is made by the Vestry."
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